Tis the Season!

It's December 9th and already the Pinecone place is beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Those that know us well know that Sue loves to decorate our home for the holidays. And those that know us even better know that I am not into it - I call the constant daily decorating the "drip, drip, drip" - equating daily decorating sessions to the old fashioned Chinese water torture that prisoners would have to endure! I help Sue but many times I would make the Grinch look like an elf!

Other years, we've spent all of our waking hours (and weekends!) carting the 20 plus boxes of decorations down from the attic, unpacking them, packing up the non-seasonal items and then climbing the 2 flights of stairs back to the attic - only to reverse the whole process in a few short weeks after New Years! We usually are finished decorating just in time for our large Christmas Eve famiily get together.

This year, Sue took a few days off from work and I joined her Monday of last week. We spent last Sunday and Monday afternoon doing the decorating tango! Also, a few evenings after work this week we once again danced the dance of the decorating divas. Friday night we decorated the tree. Yesterday, my birthday, again I did the Christmas tango for about 4 hours and guess what? We are done! What a great birthday gift - the dance is over - for a bit!

The Chinese water torture is over for this season at a record pace. December 8th and we are all through! Gifts bought and all. All that's left is wrapping the presents, sending out our Christmas cards and Sue has to bake her requisite holiday cookies.

I'm giddy with the possibilities! Might we have time this season to really celebrate? Will we get our Christmas cards out early enough? And wouldn't it be nice after everyone leaves Christmas Eve to not have to wrap our sons' Christmas gifts at 2 in the morning on Christmas Day because they are already wrapped well before the deadline?

So this is what it's like anticipating the holiday season! Wow! Imagine! Maybe time for a holiday letterboxing series or a special evening with friends. Some time to sit and enjoy the glow of the tree while we reflect the reason for the season. I could get used to this!!!

Our hope is that you all, as well, get a chance to stop amidst the hustle and bustle of the season to take some time to actually enjoy it. Sure there is so much to do but the holidays come at us really quickly and they are gone in a twinkle of the jolly elf's blue eyes.

So just find a special moment or two to enjoy the holiday glow with your favorite special someone. I think you'll be glad that you did.

But don't linger too long because before you realize it will be time to do the de-decorating jig. But if your Christmas and New Years is filled with a special moment or two, the de-decorating won't be so difficult after all! At least that's my take on it . . .